DNA methylation is one of epigenetic changes most frequently studied nowadays, together with its relationship with oral carcinogenesis. A group of enzymes is responsible for methylation process, known as DNA methyltransferases (DNMT). Although essential during embryogenesis, DNA methylation pattern alterations, including global hypomethylation or gene promoter hypermethylation, can be respectively associated with chromosomal instability and tumor suppressor gene silencing. Higher expression of DNA methyltransferases is a common finding in oral cancer and may contribute to inactivation of important tumor suppressor genes, influencing development, progression, metastasis, and prognosis of the tumor. To control these alterations, inhibitor drugs have been developed as a way to regulate DNMT overexpression, and they are intended to be associated with ongoing chemo- and radiotherapy in oral cancer treatments. In this article, we aimed to highlight the current knowledge about DNA methylation in oral cancer, including main hyper/hypomethylated genes, DNMT expression and its inhibitor treatments.

DNA甲基化是当今研究最频繁的表观遗传变化之一，及其与口腔癌变的关系。一组酶负责甲基化过程，称为 DNA 甲基转移酶 (DNMT)。尽管在胚胎发生过程中必不可少，但 DNA 甲基化模式的改变，包括整体低甲基化或基因启动子高甲基化，可分别与染色体不稳定性和抑癌基因沉默相关。DNA甲基转移酶的高表达是口腔癌的常见发现，可能导致重要的抑癌基因失活，影响肿瘤的发展、进展、转移和预后。为了控制这些改变，已经开发出抑制剂药物作为调节 DNMT 过表达的一种方式，它们旨在与口腔癌治疗中正在进行的化疗和放疗相关联。在本文中，我们旨在强调目前关于口腔癌 DNA 甲基化的知识，包括主要的高/低甲基化基因、DNMT 表达及其抑制剂治疗。